Impact of early clinical exposure for second year medical students at Burapha University
Keywords:
:Early clinical exposure, Education, Medical student, Pre-clinicAbstract
Background: Traditional study in medicine carries a heavy workload for medical students to
learn. Early clinical exposure (ECE) enhances students to learn more effectively.
Objective: This study aimed to review the impact of ECE in 2nd-year medical students.
Materials and Methods: A ward-based ECE program was offered to medical students of the
Faculty of Medicine at Burapha University, upon completing their second year in an adjunct
teaching position. Questionnaires about the student’s attitudes regarding the ECE program were
sent to the participants, both at the end of the program, as well as 6 months later at the end
of the first semester of their third year. The mean scores of the first and second surveys were
compared using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs rank test. Additionally, the academic performance
of each student determined by collecting grade point averages (GPAs), after both their 2nd
-year second semester examination, and 3rd-year first semester examination were compared
using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test. The improvement of GPAs amongst those
who participated in the program with those who did not participate was determined, using
independent sample t-tests.
Results: Fifteen (31.25%) 2nd-year medical students participated in the study. The response
rate for the first survey was 80%, and the second was 100%. There was no statistical difference
between the mean score of the first and second surveys (p = 1.00). More than 90% of students
agreed that the program enhanced their understanding of the basic science topics, as well
as increased their interest in the basic sciences. At least 60% of the students strongly agreed
that this program helped them to realize the importance of basic sciences. Eight out of ten
participants would like the program incorporated as an elective course. There was a significant
improvement in the participant’s GPAs after the ECE (p<0.001). However, improvements in
grades between students who participated in the program (mean = 0.20) did not significantly.
Conclusion: Most of the 2nd-year medical students had positive attitudes towards the ECE
program with the majority of the students wanting the program incorporated in the elective
part of the curriculum.
differ from those who did not participate (0.17) (p = 0.354)
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